On The 5th May, 1784, The Corner Stone Was Laid With
Suitable Ceremonies, By The Governor-General, Sir Frederick Haldimand; The
Chateau St. Louis Had Been Found Inadequate In Size For The Various
Purposes Required, Viz.:
A Vice-regal residence, a Council room for the
Legislative, the Executive and Judiciary Councils, &c.
The Province was rapidly expanding, as well as the Viceroy's levees,
official balls, public receptions, &c.; suites of rooms and stately
chambers, became indispensible.
The following incident occurred during its construction: - On the 17th
September, 1784, the workmen at the Chateau in levelling the yard, dug up
a large stone with a Maltese cross engraved on it, bearing the date
"1647." One of Wolfe's veterans, Mr. James Thompson, Overseer of Public
Works, got the masons to lay the stone in the cheek of the gate of the new
building. A wood-cut of the stone, gilt at the expense of Mr. Ernest
Gagnon, City Councillor in 1872, appeared in the Morning Chronicle
of the 24th June, 1880. Let us hope when the site shall be transferred,
that the Hon. Premier will have a niche reserved for this historic relic
as was so appropriately done by Sir H L Langevin, for the "Chien d'Or"
tablet when the new city Post Office was built in 1871-3.
Haldimand Castle soon became a building of note. On the 19th January,
1787, the anniversary of the Queen's Birthday - Charlotte of Mecklenburg,
consort of George III., the first grand reception was held there.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 118 of 864
Words from 32038 to 32287
of 236821
